Plug and jack connector unit



July 2,1, 1942 T. QaszA'RNY y :25299,491 I PLUG AND JACK CONNECTOR UNIT Filed Aug. 12,- 1940 ,Mgg W 23 j' l INVNTOR l v /eme 77% ,M /m

Patented July 21, 1942 PLUG AND JACK CONNECTOR UNIT Thedore Obszarny, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Guardian Electric Manufacturing Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application August 12, 1940, Serial No. 352,318

5 Claims. (Cl. 173-332) This invention relates to electrical circuit connectors, and more particularly to detachably connectable plug and jack units for simultaneously completing or breaking portions of a plurality of different electrical circuits of various types of machines and apparatus. Such units may be made in various sizes to employ a desired number of sets of cooperating plug and jacks. For economy in manufacture I have found a preferable range of sizes for the plug and jack connector units to include multiples of 2 to 24 sets, but, if desired, larger size units may be made.

In the more widely used types of commercially available plug and jack units the jacks are arranged in banks, supported in pairs on opposite sides of a vertically disposed mounting frame which is composed of a plurality of panels of insulating material and wherein a mechanical operation is required to secure each of the jacks in position on the mounting panels, which construction is now considered too costly.

It is therefore, one of the main objects of this invention to provide a novel and improved construction of jack` units which permits eiecting a substantialsaving in material required.

Another 'object is to provideA an improved multiple jack unit construction which greatly reduces the number of parts, the handling of parts in assembly, and the number of mechanical operations to be performed in assembling of the parts, thereby eecting substantial economy in fabrication of such units.

A further object is to provide a simplified, compact, multiple jack unitcf the character indicated having a pair of horizontally disposed -3v5 panels of insulatingmaterial from which a plurality of jacks are suspended with their plug receiving sockets extending substantially perpendicularly to said panels, in registration with apertures formed therein.

Still another object is to provide a novel and improved jack unit wherein a plurality of jacks are arranged in a bank and each jack having portions'embraced between a pair of connected panels of insulating material for rmly locking the jacks in fixed position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved jack unit characterized by the provision of a pair of panels of insulating material and a multiplicity of jacks f.

seated in apertures formed in one of the panels and the other panel being superimposed upon the rst and both panels being rigidly connected together to a mounting frame for locking the jacks in xed position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with'the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel plug and jack connector unit, embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the device, taken substantially as indicated at line 2 2 on Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are external elevational views of the respective ends of the mounting frame.

Figures 5 and 6 are plan views of the respective panels of insulating material which carry the jacks.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the tie bar which connects the end members of the mounting frame.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention as represented in the drawing, I have shown a connector device including 12 sets of cooperating plug and jack units, arranged in two spaced apart banks of 6 each. As above mentioned, it is to be understood that devices of this type may be made up in various multiples of plug and jack units arranged in a bank or group relation.

The connector device is composed of two detachably connectable units, one carrying the plugs and the other carrying the `jacks. The unit carrying the plugs includes a panel lil of insulating material from which project at right angles thereto a plurality of elongated plugs Il. These plugs desirably are of cylindrical tubular form, each having a shoulder I2 adjacent one end seated against the surface of the vpanel and a portion of the plug beyond the shoulder projects through an aperture in the panel and is riveted over against the opposite side thereof as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing. As may be seen in the drawing, the plugs are spaced` uniform distances apart and from the marginal edge of the panel and are arranged in two banks or groups disposed in substantially parallel relationship to each other. Mounted on each plug and anchored between shoulder l2 and the panel Ill is a terminal clip I5 which extends laterally beyond the adjacent edge of the panel and having its end portion bent upwardly and formed with an aperture IE to provide a connection for an electrical conductor.

One end of the panel lil projects a substantial distance beyond the last plugs of the banks as indicated at Ille, and it is to be understood that said projecting portion serves the purpose of providing a mounting andv support for the end portion of a cable containing the conductor wires which are connected to the terminals l5 of the respective plugs.

The unit carrying the jacks includes a mounting frame comprising a pair of spaced apart end members 20. Said end members are formed to provide a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel upwardly extending end plates 2|, which are rigidly connected together by an elongated tie bar or plate 23 disposed in vertical relation.

The tie bar 23 has its opposite ends formed withV a plurality of vertically spaced apart lugs 24 adapted to be inserted into correspondingly arranged apertures 25 of the respective end plates 2|. When the lugs are projected through the apertures of the end plates the outer ends thereof are upset or riveted for rigidly uniting the end plates to the tie bar 23.

As may be noted in Figure 1 of the drawing, the tie bar 23 is located a substantial distance below the upper ends of the respective end plates for accommodating a pair of superimposed horizontally disposed panels 21 and 28 of insulating material. These panels serve to support a multiplicity of jacks 30 arranged in two banks on opposite sides of the tie bar 23, in proper spaced apart relation for registration with cooperating plugs of the plug unit.

The jacks are desirably formed of spring metal and are of generally U-shaped formation for firmly embracing opposite sides of the plugs as seen in Figure 2. The upper ends of the leg portions of each jack terminate in flanges 32 adapted to be seated upon the upper face of the panel 28. One of said flanges 32 of each jack merges into a terminal lug 33 extending laterally beyond the marginal edge of said panel 28 andV bent in a downward direction as seen in the drawing. These terminal lugs are provided with apertures 34 for connection to suitable conductor wires of the various electrical circuits.

The panel 28 is formed with properly located apertures 36 through which the jacks 3|) project downwardly, with their anges 32 seated on top of panel 28. Each aperture is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed slots or recesses 31 for accommodating the cooperatively formed portions of the jacks for locking the jacks against rotative movement within said apertures. superimposed directly upon the panel 28 with the jacks seated in position in the apertures in said panel is the second panel 21, as above mentioned, which seats tightly against the flanges and part oi the terminal extensions of the respective jacks and serves to preclude dislodgment of the jacks from the panel 28. The panel 21 is provided with a plurality of apertures 39 arranged in two banks and positioned for registration with the apertures 36 in the panel 2B and with the plug receiving socket portions of the respective jacks.`

These panels 21 and 28 with the jacks seated in place are firmly secured together and to the mounting frame. For this purpose the respective panels are each provided with a centrally located series of longitudinally spaced apart apertures 40 adapted to be mounted upon correspondingly located upwardly extending lugs 4| formed on the upper marginal edge of the tie bar 23. When the panels are mounted on said lugs said lugs are upset or riveted over for rmly securing the two panels 21 and 28 with the respective jacks anchored thereon in fixed relation to the mounting frame. It is to be noted that the parts are so dimensioned that when the panels are riveted in fixed position on the mounting frame the upper surface of the upper panel 21 is disposed substantially ush with the upper edges of the end panels 2| of the mounting frame.

To reenforce the panels 21 and 28 so as to preclude lateral tilting on the upper edge of the tie bar 23 each of the end plates 2|, are formed with a pair of horizontally spaced apart inwardly projecting bosses 42 located with their upper edges in substantial alignment with the upper marginal edge of the tie bar 23, as may be seen in the drawing, to provide additional support for the ends of said panels.

For convenience in mounting the entire unit in connection with other apparatus with which it is used, said end frame members 20 are formed with outwardly extending apertured feet 2l)a which extend endwise beyond said end panels 2| in a position for convenient engagement of fastening means, such as screws, by means of a suitable tool.

It wei-llv now be apparent that the novel and improved plug and jack unit above described results in a` compact construction, which permits effecting a substantial saving in material required, and Vgreatly reduces the handling of the separate parts during assembly, as well as mater-ially reduces the mechanical operations to be performed in the assemblingr of the parts.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that in the assembly of the jacks perse said jacks are merely dropped into the apertures 36 of panel 23, in proper position, and the panel 21 then placed upon the panel 28 with the jacks projecting downwardly from said panel 28 and the assembly of the two panels'togetherl and to 'the mounting frame is effected by riveting of the panels to the tie bar 23 as above described thus eliminating the performance of any mechanical operations for the securement of the individual jacks to the mounting panels.

Although I haveherein shown and described a preferred embodirr-ientV of my in\ /'enti'ori,A manifestly it is capableof modification and rearrangement of parts withouty departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention tothe precise form herein shown and described, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim as m-y invention: Y

l. In a structureY of the character described, a jack unit comprising a mounting frame including a pair of upright,'spaeed apart' parallel end plates, and a vertically disposed elongated tie plate rigidly connected at its ends in perpendicular relationship to said end plates, a horizontally disposed elongated panel of insulating material rig-idly mounted on said frame and seated on the tie plate and said end plates, and a plurality of jacks, arranged in banks on opposite sidesV of the tie plate and seated in apertures' formed in said panel, said jacks beingY formed with their plug receiving sockets disposed in registration with said apertures and extending rsubstantially perpendicularly to said panel. Y

2. In a structure of the character described, a jack unit comprising a mounting frame including a pair of upright, spaced apart parallel end plates, and a vertically disposed elongated tie plate rigidly connected at its ends in perpendicular relationship to said end plates, a horizontally disposed elongated panel of insulating material rigidly mounted on said frame and seated on the tie plate and said end plates, a plurality of jacks, arranged in banks on opposite sides of the tie plate and seated in apertures formed in the panel, the upper end of the jacks being formed with a flange for seating against the top of the panel, with their plug receiving sockets extending perpendicularly to said panel, and a second panel of insulating material superimposed upon the Iirst panel and rigidly secured to said frame for holding the jacks seated, said superimposed panel having apertures registering with the sockets of the jacks.

3. In a structure of the character described, a jack unit comprising a mounting frame including a pair of upright spaced apart substantially parallel end plates, and a vertically disposed elongated tie bar rigidly attached at its ends to said end plates, a horizontally disposed elongated panel of insulating material seated cn said tie bar, a plurality of jacks, arranged in banks on opposite sides of the tie bar and seated in apertures formed in the panel, the upper end of the jacks being formed with a ange for seating against the top of the panel, with the plug receiving sockets of the jacks extending substantially perpendicularly to said panel, and a second panel of insulating material superimposed upon the first panel for holding the jacks seated, said panels being rigidly connected to the tie bar, and said superimposed panel having a series of apertures registering with the sockets of the jacks, each of the end plates being formed with a pair of inwardly extending bosses, at opposite sides of the tie bar, positioned to serve as additional support for the ends of said first mentioned panel.

4. In a structure of the character described, a jack unit comprising a mounting frame including a pair of upright spaced apart substantially parallel end plates, anda vertically disposed elongated tie bar rigidly attached at its ends to said end plates, a horizontally disposed elongated panel of insulating material seated on said tie bar, a plurality of jacks, arranged in banks on tially perpendicularly to said panel, and a second.

panel of insulating material superimposed upon the rst panel for holding the jacks seated, said,

panels being rigidly connected to the tie bar, and said superimposed panel having a series of apertures registering with the sockets of the jacks, each of the end plates being formed with a pair of inwardly extending bosses, at opposite sides of the tie bar, positioned to serve as additional support for the ends of said first mentioned panel, the lower end of each of the end plates terminating in a horizontally extending foot, projecting perpendicularly to and outwardly from said plates.

5. In a structure of the character described, a jack unit comprising a frame including a pair of upright spaced apart substantially parallel end plates and a vertically disposed tie bar connected at its end to said plates, a horizontally disposed panel of insulating material seated on the tie bar, a plurality of jacks, arranged in Lbanks on opposite sides of the tie bar and seated in apertures formed in the panel, with their plug receiving sockets aligned with said apertures and extending substantially perpendicularly to said panel, said sockets being formed at their upper ends with a flange for seating against the top of said panel, and a second panel of insulating material superimposed upon the first panel for holding the jacks seated, said tie bar having its ends and its upper edge formed with one or more lugs for rivet connection respectively to said insulating panels and to said end plates of the frame.

TI-IEDORE OBSZARNY. 

